Romeo and Juliet Rurouni Style!
by lauralizzie07
Summary: Discontinued. KenKao. Romeo and Juliet, except it's Kenshin and Kaoru. It surprised me how easily these characters fit into Shakespeare... so I decided to exploit it a little.
1. Cast of Characters

Ok! In my English class we're reading Romeo and Juliet (again, might I add, so I know ALL the symbolism from last year's English class). So in the middle of class, I was randomly struck with the sudden inspiration to write a Rurouni Kenshin fic based (rather loosely) off of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. I'm adjusting the ages so they're consistent with Shakespeare, not the series. Also, in the play, Juliet's parents are referred to as "Capulet" and "Lady Capulet", and likewise for Romeo's, so I'm going to do the same here, relying on the knowledge that the suffix "-sama" means "Lord" or "Lady". Hence, instead of saying "Kamiya" and "Lady Kamiya", I'll say "Kamiya" and "Kamiya-sama". Confused? Too bad! @_@ lol.....  
  
So! I suppose the cast of characters would be a good place to start.....  
  
Kamiya Kaoru – a 14-year-old girl of the (very wealthy) Kamiya family, she meets Kenshin at a party and is drawn to him... not knowing he's forbidden!  
  
Himura Kenshin – a 15-year-old(ish) boy who is pining over a girl who can't stand him (three guesses who.....) named Tomoe. He falls in love with Kaoru right off and spends a few chapters attempting to woo her with flowery language.  
  
Shinomori Aoshi – Kenshin's 16-year-old cousin, Aoshi is against the feud that has consumed his aunt and uncle for most of his life, and as a result Aoshi spends most of his time meditating to try and find a solution for their hate. In his free time he spars with Kenshin.  
  
Saito Hajime – Kaoru's 17-year-old cousin, he is quite proud and devoted to his family, and as a result he enjoys pummeling the daylights out of everyone remotely connected with the Himura family.  
  
Sagara Sanosuke – Kenshin's best friend (around 16 or 17 years old), is also a hotheaded idiot whom the author loves so very very much.....  
  
Takani Megumi – an apothecary who helped to raise Kaoru, she is also Kaoru's confidant and friend.  
  
Hiko Seijiro – Kenshin's trainer in the art of the sword, he is also the real founder of the Hiten-misurugi style of swordsmanship, but he is given credit as a co-founder, along with Himura. Hiko is a very annoying man that the author wouldn't really mind killing off..... *ducks Hiko fan-girls* just kidding! *rolls eyes*  
  
Seta Soujiro – a cheery 16-year-old, Soujiro is Kenshin's personal servant and helper, and is one of the few people who know about the couple's forbidden love.  
  
Kamiya – Kaoru's father, he's a wealthy man who founded the Kamiya-kassin style of swordsmanship.  
  
Kamiya-sama – Kaoru's mother, she's a lady who wishes Kaoru to be married and happy as soon as humanly possible (maybe sooner?). It is of the author's opinion that she is a raging psychopath.  
  
Himura – Kenshin's father and the co-founder of the Hiten-misurugi style of swordsmanship, who he is apparently too busy to teach to his son.  
  
Himura-sama – Kenshin's mother, she's a woman who takes after her nephew Aoshi in her feelings towards the feud. However, as her husband is too busy to teach Kenshin swordsmanship, he is also too busy to listen to his wife.  
  
Yukishiro Tomoe – A beautiful young woman swooned upon by many men..... to no avail. She has vowed never to love or marry; much to Kenshin's dismay.  
  
Hoji – Hoji is an extremely weird man whom the Kamiya's have chosen to marry Kaoru..... much to her complete reluctance.  
  
Makimachi Misao – a very genki girl who pops up randomly to tell us what's been happening in a nutshell (to those that have read the play, she's my equivalent of the Chorus). She also swoons over Aoshi, the very hot, very off-limits member of the Himura family. The author would like to point out that she thinks Misao is the funniest person, and she really couldn't write a fic without some good old-fashioned one-sided Misao/Aoshi action! *Laughs nervously*  
  
Myojin Yahiko – A servant in the Kamiya household, he has a bug mouth and often blurts things out that could full well get him killed.  
  
Kamatari – Kamatari is a servant from the Himura household. He is a flamboyant (and quite feminine) person, who loves the Himura family quite devotedly. 


	2. Prologue and Act 1, Scene 1

Misao: Hello all! Makimachi Misao here! I guess I'm supposed to read you this piece of paper… 'Two households, both alike in dignity…' but that's SO boring! I'd much rather spend my time gazing lovingly at my Aoshi-sama than tell you all the ending of our story in language nobody understands… so I will! Aoshi-sama… where are you…?

Rhapsody: Misao? HEY! Well minna-san, it seems I've lost my chorus, so I suppose the only thing to do is to get on with the story…

"Kamatari-san..." a deceivingly upbeat voice began, "why must you dress so... loudly when we go out to the market?"

"Oh Sou-chan," a second happy voice replied, "you know how much I love color... would you deny me that?" here the man speaking leaned down and pinched his companion's cheek affectionatly. "What a dear you are—" he began, before he looked up and saw two people coming towards him, "oh, Sou-chan... it seems that we should be heading home now..."

"But, Kamatari-san, we haven't finished the mark—" Soujiro began, but he was cut off by an angry voice.

"Well, well, well, what have we here? A bunch of stupid sissy Himura's out for a stroll?" Yahiko called, before turning to his companion and continuing, "do you think your master is better than mine?"

Soujiro's usually placid was smoldering with rage as he turned to Kamatari. "Tell me I don't have to stand for this!" he cried, "tell me I can retaliate and they will feel the cold steel of my blade!"

Kamatari frowned, "talk of killing in the streets? Bad form, Sou-chan, bad form! Look though, here comes Aoshi-san….. let me handle this!" with that, the colorfully dressed man turned to the two Kamiya servants and grinned, "Why shouldn't our master be better than yours? At least our master knows when to put down the saké cup!" the two men laughed at the reactions of the other servants and backed up, showing Aoshi, the nephew of their aforementioned master.

The two Kamiya servants quieted, not relishing the idea of starting a fight with the skilled young man.

"What? You shrink before a Himura?Where is your backbone? Where is your pride?" Hajime Saito asked from his leaning position against a pole. "Never mind, don't answer that." he amended, flicking his cigarette towards Aoshi. "Do you expect me to stand aside and let your sniveling servants insult my uncle, and, by association, me?" he sneered,

"There is no reason for this brawl, Saito." Aoshi replied evenly, "and as such I see no reason to continue it. Let there be peace, at least for today."

Saito glared at Aoshi before spitting on the ground at his feet. "That is all the respect I have for you and your family. You deserve to be the mud upon which I walk! Draw and fight me!" the man cried, unsheathing his katana and initiating an attack.

Aoshi leapt aside smoothly as Saito rushed at him, "there is no need for violence," Aoshi insisted, "but if you're going to be like that..." Aoshi smirked and drew his twin kodachi, bringing them up swiftly to meet his foe's waiting katana.

Back and forth they fought, their blades ringing when contact was made. Yahiko stood on the sidelines, cheering his master on, until Kamatari got fed up with him and clonked him on the head with his sword, smiling grimly as the boy fell to the ground, unconscious.

"That should take care of the little boy!" Kamatari said cheerfully to Soujiro, "he was annoying me... cheering on Saitoh and whatnot!"

The fight went on, the two combatants seemingly never tiring as they battled for the honor of their families. Neither them, nor the servants watching avidly noticed the hoof-beats approaching, that is, until a soft, but stern voice cut through their metallic clangs.

"What do you think you are doing?" Ohkubo-sama asked fiercely, "this is the third time your stupid fights have disturbed our quiet streets! You kill, and you wound, and you insult, and for what? Because of what? This brawl has no beginning remembered by anyone here, but blood freely flows as a result!" Ohkubo shook his head, speaking again to drown out the protests of Aoshi and Saito. "No. The next time anyone, anyone at all, disturbs these streets with a fight, they shall be put to death!" the tall man turned away, muttering to himself. "Kami-sama! You'd think I was talking to children!" Saitoh and Aoshi glanced at each other as Aoshi pulled his kodachi up in case Saitoh attacked again. Ohkubo-sama whirled on the two of them in a heartbeat.

"What did I just say?" he growled, "no fighting, or you will die!" he glared at them for a while before finishing, "now be off with you! Back to your cursed families."

Saitoh turned his lip up at Aoshi and walked away with Yahiko stumbling behind him, rubbing his sore head. Kamatari and Soujiro smiled at their master, and went off to finish the marketing, and the townsfolk who had gathered to see the spectacle and hear Ohkubo-sama dispersed as though nothing had happened. Indeed, these fights between the Himura and Kamiya boys were quite commonplace, and many people were disappointed that the brawls had been forbidden.

Aoshi sighed and walked off towards the shore, where he knew his cousin, Kenshin, would be moping yet again. And sure enough, there he was, sitting by the waves staring at nothing with a mind full of everything.

"Hello" Aoshi said softly and sat down next to his cousin and friend. He didn't say anything more, and instead waited for Kenshin to speak to him, as was his way. Kenshin looked up briefly and spoke,

"What do you want?"

"To know what is the matter with you." Aoshi said, as though surprised that Kenshin would think he had any other purpose for being there.

"You wouldn't understand, that you wouldn't." Kenshin was being sullen, Aoshi could tell. He could also tell that Kenshin was dying to vent his feelings, so he pressed the matter.

"Perhaps I will, and perhaps I won't." Aoshi replied evenly, staring straight ahead. "You'll never know until you try me."

Kenshin sighed, "It's about Tomoe. I think I love her and she will barely look my way! She won't even give me a chance to prove myself worthy of her love; she just brushes me off and tells everyone she plans to marry Akira! Why Akira? Why not me?"

Aoshi sighed, "You think you love her?" he asked his cousin skeptically, "don't you know?"

Kenshin shrugged and walked towards the town square, beckoning his cousin to follow him. "I don't really know what—" suddenly he stopped, looking at the mess of carts and stalls that the market had become, thanks to Aoshi and Saitoh. "What happened? No, don't tell me. You fought him, didn't you? Saitoh?" Kenshin looked up at Aoshi; his normally peaceful violet eyes filled with anger and unshed tears. "I don't know what love is, that I most certainly don't" he said, finishing his statement from earlier, "and I don't think I'm going to find out surrounded by so much hate!"

Aoshi put his hand on Kenshin's shoulder comfortingly, but the younger boy pushed it away. "You love our family, yet Saitoh loves his. So you both hate and fight and kill as a result of that love. But it can't be true love if so much hate stems from it!" he threw his hands into the air and stalked off in the opposite direction, "it's all Tomoe! If only she would love me back so I can get a feel for what love is supposed to be!"

Aoshi laughed softly, his blue eyes shining, "is that all? Then I urge you to forget all about this troublesome Tomoe of yours and look at other women! It can't hurt, and it might even help! If she doesn't love you, then there's no point in pursuing her, now is there?"

"No. She is too fair and exquisite to be forgotten, that she is. Other women cannot hold a candle to her sparkling black eyes and mesmerizing scent. She smells of white plums, Aoshi! And her hair looks like liquid silk poured at midnight, that it most certainly does! No, cousin, there is no point in teaching me to forget her, for she will not be forgotten." With that, he turned and disappeared into the crowd, intent on having solitude.

"I'll have her be last in your mind soon enough," Aoshi murmured to his cousin's disappearing figure, "believe me, coz, I will." That said, he too turned and departed, away from the aquamarine eyes that followed him longingly.

* * *

Misao: Let me at him!! AOSHI-SAMA!! I LOVE YOU!!


	3. Act 1, Scene 2

Act 1, scene 2

* * *

Kamiya sighed and turned to the younger man standing patiently in front of him.

"It really shouldn't be too hard for Himura and I to be at peace, I mean, we are both liable to be punished if we break Ohkubo-sama's proclamation, and the thought of death is enough to put peace into the hearts of old men such as we!"

"You are both good and honorable gentlemen," Hoji replied smoothly. "It's just such a pity you couldn't come to terms with each other sooner….. but, what have you to say to my... er, proposal?" he finished, looking up at Kamiya hopefully.

"If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times!" Kamiya's tone was clipped and exasperated. "My daughter is barely fourteen. Do you want to take her away from me so soon?" He shook his head, pushing Hoji through the large doors leading to his private study. Gesturing for his visitor to take a seat, then doing so himself, he continued. "Wait two more years, that's all I'm asking. And when she's reached the age of sixteen, you may have her as your wife."

Hoji shook his head, persisting towards his goal, "but Kamiya... women younger than her are happily wed and even have children!"

Kamiya's eyes darkened, "No." he said firmly, "she is the only child Kami-sama has blessed my lady and I with, and I will not marry her off so hastily." Looking at Hoji's downtrodden face, he relented. "Well, my boy, you see, my approval of your proposal is only a part of the entire decision. Woo her, Hoji, win her heart and I will see about hastening the marriage. I'm having a party tonight," he continued, "why don't you come along, and see Kaoru once again, and maybe you will make her love you this very night, eh? The hearts of lovely young girls are easily won, it is said... why don't you put that to good use?" Kamiya stood up, and, waving a dismissal to Hoji, he called to a servant standing in the doorway. "Shuichi!"

"Yes, my lord?" the boy replied, darting up from his seated position by the door to stand by his master, awaiting his order.

"Here," Kamiya passed Shuichi a piece of paper with symbols written on it that poor Shuichi was unable to read. "Take this and find the people on it, tell them I'm having a party tonight and that they're more than welcome to come and enjoy themselves!" Having passed on the instructions, Kamiya left to find his wife and tell him the wonderful news of Hoji and Kaoru.

Shuichi rolled his eyes and exited the Kamiya manor, "sure... it's easy for you to say 'read this! Find them!' but what about me? I'm just a servant. I can't read!" He walked out into the street and decided to look for someone who would be able to help him complete this impossible task.

* * *

"Look, Kenshin," Aoshi pleaded, running to catch up to his cousin, "trust me, find another girl and Tomoe will be last in your mind!"

"Aoshi!" Kenshin turned and snapped, "give it up! I won't be able to forget— hello! Can I help you?" Kenshin stopped walking and turned to Shuichi, who had just worked up the courage to speak to this man who seemed so educated that he must be able to read.

"Yes, good sir... can you read?" Shuichi asked tentatively, his normally exuberant attitude exchanged for a shy one in front of this intimidating man.

Kenshin rolled his eyes, "yes... I can read. What do you want?"

Shuichi blushed and held out the paper silently, "c-can you read me these names? I'm supposed to find these people to invite them to a party at my master's house..."

"A party, eh?" Kenshin replied, scanning the list swiftly. A name caught his eye: Yukishiro Tomoe. "Who did you say your master was?" Kenshin asked smoothly, willing his voice not to waiver.

"I didn't..." was the prompt reply, "but I serve the Kamiya household, they're having a party tonight and I need those names read to me please..." this last statement held a touch of impatience as Shuichi began to regret asking this young gentleman in particular to help him.

"Now, now, don't get all flustered," Kenshin grinned, "here are your names..." and as the names of the elite and wealthy were read, Aoshi got an idea. Maybe, just maybe, going to this party might help his depressed cousin move on with his life and forget this Tomoe girl. When Kenshin had finished reading the names, Aoshi spoke up before the boy had a chance to run off.

"Do you suppose that your master would mind much if we crashed his little get together?" Aoshi asked calmly, his ice blue eyes holding the boy still.

"Of course not gentlemen!" Shuichi was eager to repay the kind men who had helped him out of a certain tongue-lashing with the Mistress, Kamiya-sama. "As long as you're not one of those... Himura's!" the boy spat out the name as though it was a curse, a well-trained Kamiya servant to be sure, "then of course my master wouldn't mind!" that said, Shuichi bowed low and hurried off to complete his task, running the names over in his mind to avoid forgetting them.

"Aoshi?" Kenshin turned to his cousin and friend, bewildered, "what was that all about? You should have known we would not be welcome, not in the Kamiya household, that you should."

"Aa, Kenshin, but at this party tonight is your lady-love Tomoe, along with many other beauties that decorate our lovely streets. We will attend tonight, and you will see that Tomoe isn't all that beautiful and charming, especially next to women who would love to be in your company."

Kenshin rolled his eyes, "Aoshi, I tell you there is no one who is more fair, more charming and witty and..." he sighed, "wonderful, than Tomoe. I cannot fall for another, that I cannot!"

Aoshi shook his head, "come on Kenshin! Come to the party with me and the others... you'll see that what you call love is nothing but a crush!" grabbing hold of Kenshin's arm, he pulled the younger boy along, pleased when he felt no resistance and instead heard a barely audible "all right... I'll go to the party."

Aoshi grinned, "good." he replied, and the two of them wandered off side by side to seek out other things to do.

* * *

Now: how much does everyone love reviewer responses? Lots! WHEE!

Crystal: Tch! Lazy! Not signing in… grumblegrumblegrumble lol, jk! I'm so glad you enjoyed it! It's gonna rock!! Lol… did I mention I got my friend Jill into Shakespeare-turned-anime writing? Well I did. She's doing a rendition of 'Twelfth Night' with the cast of Inuyasha!! It'll be awesome once she gets it onto paper!!

noner89: I'm soooo happy you enjoyed it!! I hope you enjoyed it enough to have carried on to this chapter and be reading this right now… ;;;

Kriska: blushblush awwww thanks!! I'm soooo happy you like it!! I've never really read anything else by Shakespeare except good ol' R+J in school, but I found "the complete works of William Shakespeare… online!" So methinks it's time to read more… I've got my eye on 'Othello' in particular, not to mention 'Macbeth', 'Twelfth Night', 'Taming of the Shrew', 'The Merchant of Venice' and maybe even 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'. If I feel like it.

LiLKiKi15: I'm so happy you liked it! Whee!! I'm making people HAPPY! twirls

Victoria: No… no I was just thinking of altering the ending… lol, just kidding! I think that in order to write a good knock-off-esque fic on Romeo and Juliet I'd need to kill them off… it pains me to kill Kenshin, it really does, but… deep breath it must be done. It's practically the whole point of the play… sorta… anyway, I'm so happy you like!!


	4. Act 1, Scenes 3 and 4

Author's Note: Kaoru calls her mother "okaasan", as opposed to "kaasan" because in the play Juliet is very formal with her mother, but acts more like a loving daughter to the nurse, who actually raised her. In this fic it will be the same; Megumi raised Kaoru, so she feels more formal around Kamiya-sama. This will also show in the words she uses: less contractions, more formal language as though she is talking to a lady, not her mother.

One more thing: I really wrestled with how to write the Queen Mab speech, so I decided that Queen Mab would be Amaya-hime (Princess Amaya, meaning 'night rain'), and she would be, pretty much, like the Queen Mab, just... a princess, and Japanese.

Act 1, Scene 3

* * *

Kamiya-sama paused in her brisk walk to her daughter's room and looked in the mirror. Running her hand over her elegant red kimono decorated with pictures of dragons and tongues of fire, she nodded and deemed her reflection, if not perfect, then absurdly close. Throwing open her daughter's door, she was disappointed to find it empty of everyone but Takani Megumi, Kaoru's nurse.

"Megumi," she snapped, close to the breaking point on this most important of all days, "where is Kaoru? Run and fetch her, would you?"

The sharp, black-haired woman nodded and walked swiftly to the balcony that overlooked the garden teeming with life, as well as gardeners taming it for that night's festivities.

"Kaoru!" she called loudly, then, hearing no response from her charge, "tanuki! Where are you?"

Kamiya-sama huffed impatiently and stalked out into the hall, completely missing the lithe figure emerging from the dressing room. Her calm blue eyes lighted on Megumi, before wearily asking, "who calls?" as though she already knew the answer, but had decided to humor her nurse and ask anyway.

"Your mother," Megumi replied and pushed Kaoru gently towards the door, "you'd better answer; she's worn thin by tonight's party already."

Kaoru sighed, "Okaasan? You wished to speak with me?"

Kamiya-sama turned and smiled, "My dear! How wonderful to see you." Taking her daughter's hand, she pulled her into the room and stopped her at the mirrored dressing table. Megumi came forward and picked up a vibrant sapphire kimono patterned with seashells and crashing waves. Kamiya-sama stood back as Megumi carefully and skillfully dressed her daughter, and began to speak.

"Now, Kaoru, you are of a good age are you not?" she paused, then, hearing no reply, she asked sharply, "how old are you girl?"

Kaoru narrowed her eyes and opened her mouth to speak sharply to her mother, but she stopped when Megumi pricked her gently with a pin and shook her head. "I am almost fourteen mother," Kaoru replied through gritted teeth, "Remember? My birthday is in two weeks or so. Why do you ask?"

Kamiya-sama clapped her hands like a child and cried joyfully, "Wonderful! How do you feel about... marriage?"

At this, Kaoru abruptly turned to face her mother and, clasping her hands tightly in frond of her, replied, "Marriage? Um, marriage is the last thing on my mind, Okaasan... I'd really like to live more before I wed."

Her mother snorted, "you've lived enough my dear. Women are married off younger than fourteen these days. You should be thankful your father and I love you too much to sell you off like a cow the day you became a woman!" Ignoring Kaoru's indignant huff, she continued, "Besides, the gentleman Hoji-san seeks to marry you, and what a fine and handsome man he is!"

Seeing the look on Kaoru's face, Megumi spoke to pacify the girl. "Tanuki... Hoji-sama is a good and kind man. Rich and handsome! He would be kind to you and love you all your life... you could not find a better man!" Megumi winked at Kaoru as she skillfully tied the aqua obi in a butterfly knot and moved to apply Kaoru's make-up.

Kamiya-sama smiled wryly and moved towards the door, eager to get back to the busy preparations of the party. "Just tell me," she said before she exited the room, "are you pleased with this arrangement? Hoji-san will be present tonight... will you at least give him a chance?"

Kaoru held still as Megumi smeared blue cosmetics over her eyelid, but she responded, "I will give him a chance. That's all I'll promise." Her mother nodded and turned to leave, only to be stopped by a servant.

"Yes?" she asked smoothly, patting her hair into perfection, "what is it?"

The boy bowed, "my lady, the guests are here and Kaoru-sama and yourself are wanted. If you would please follow me downstairs to make your entrances?"

Kamiya-sama nodded. "Kaoru, come when you are presentable, Hoji-san awaits you!"

Megumi put the finishing touches on Kaoru and pulled her up from the chair, "good luck tanuki," she whispered, kissing the girl on the cheek, "and have fun!" she finished, laughing at the face Kaoru gave her in response.

Act 1, Scene 4

"Aoshi..." Kenshin pleaded softly with his cousin as they walked down the dark streets leading to the Kamiya estate, decked out in traditional Japanese costumes, "are you sure that the Kamiya's will not be violent against us? Or does it not matter?"

Aoshi smirked and replied, "we will do no harm Kenshin, and as a result they will not harm us... Kami-sama willing."

Sagara Sanosuke, Kenshin and Aoshi's best friend, spoke up, "if they do us harm, we can fight back! I wouldn't even mind starting up a fight anyway….. even if they leave us alone….." clapping Kenshin on the back, he continued. "We'll go, we'll dance, you'll forget this love you are consumed by….. it will be a grand time!"

Kenshin sighed yet again, earning him a strange look from Sanosuke. "Are you alright Kenshin? Is there something more than this god-like woman that is bothering you?"

Turning soft violet eyes into Sano's comforting brown ones, Kenshin nodded. "I had a dream last night."

Sano snorted, "so did I!"

Kenshin, sensing his friend was mocking him, asked, "what did you dream?"

"That dreamers lie!" was the prompt response.

"My dream was true. I can feel it."

Sanosuke rolled his eyes "You have been hoodwinked, my friend, by..." he paused to think, "Amaya-hime!" Sano grinned, looking at each of his friends in turn, "yes... Amaya-hime is regent of the night! She flies about from country to country, house to house, on her wings of spider web. She sneaks into your home and dances her tiny feet upon your nose... and you dream foolishness and lies! Princess of nightmares, Queen of all Dreamland. She is a vile little witch who makes our Kenshin dream of untrue love and false faithfulness! Her looks change to fit the sleeper she comes to... young and beautiful to those in love, yet peaceful in sleep to dreamers who are old and long for death. Rotting and dead she comes to killers and sinners of old, to bring them dreams of their past, and haunt their futures! This is the evil meddling fairy, this is the annoyance of a cruel pixie this is... this is..." Sano broke off, burying his face in his hands as his mind was taken over by a Princess of the night whom he had made up not five minutes ago.

"Sanosuke..." Kenshin walked up to the shaking boy and put a comforting hand on his shoulder, "you're speaking of nothing, that you are!"

Sano stood up, pushing his unruly brown hair out of his eyes, "you're right, Kenshin, I'm talking about dreams." He playfully pushed Kenshin aside and turned to Aoshi, "C'mon Shinomori! Supper will be almost done up at the manor... we won't want to miss the dancing!" Laughing, the group walked off, with Kenshin lagging behind.

_I can't shake this feeling I have,_ he thought,_ I keep thinking that something will come from this party... something fateful._ Kenshin shook his head, running to catch up with his friends, intent on ignoring his strange dream and enjoying himself at the party.

* * *

ZSilver: I'm sooooooooo happy you like it!! WHEE!! shrug I can't really make the chapters longer though….. unless I combine two scenes, which I think I'm going to do now, cuz scene three is really short. I'm sorta bound by what happens in the scenes though….. but I'll do my best!

Victoria: nervous laugh Um….. actually, they're meeting in scene five….. I'll write it up soon, cuz I know that everyone wants to see Kenshin and Kaoru meet! That's one of my favorite scenes in the play… I hope I do it justice!

Laurika: nice name! My real name's Laura, though Karrie (spazzinglights) calls me Ka-Lauraness-sama!! Hmmm….. reads over past chapters yeah….. I think he is a little OOC. But ya know… he IS depressed… I hope I can get him to be happier at the party!!

Himura Kamiya Kaoru: so happy so happy you like!! Whee!! The thing about romance is… I'm not overly good at writing it… I promise though; when I get ready to write it, I'll read up all the wonderful Fluffy McFlufferson-ness I can find, and hopefully I won't bomb!!

Crystal: I'm proud of you! I love Inuyasha… it's quite a work. Have you seen Kikyo yet? Don't worry. You'll want to kill her soon enough!! I recommend that if you're confused about anything Inuyasha-esque, just look it up on the net!! That's how I found out about the whole Kenshin/Tomoe thing and also Kenji

* * *

Merry Christmas all!

Rhapsody


	5. Act 1, Scene 5

Disclaimer: How bout….. this is the last one of these I do? Seeing as I don't own Rurouni Kenshin or Romeo and Juliet, and I'm not about to claim that I do, this will be the last disclaimer. o'.'o

A belated happy New Year minna-san.

Act 1, Scene 5

* * *

Servants ran left and right, scurrying to finish last minute tasks before the esteemed guests arrived. The cook stood at the door to the kitchen, watching with a careful eye to make sure the dishes brought out of his domain were as perfect as his human power could make. After screaming to his helpers to begin washing up the kitchen, and screaming to his carriers to NOT drop that platter it took all day to prepare, and screaming at Megumi for even suggesting he rest his voice, he promptly returned to his customary chair by the ovens and fell asleep amid the clatter of preparations.

At long last, the stage is set and the players enter, ready for a good time and not expecting the virtually unnoticed sequence of events that will soon come to pass within these very walls, a sequence that will change the course of history and redefine the entire idea of love, for all eternity.

Kamiya came out first, jovial and red from drink even this early in the night. Kamiya-sama arrived on his arm, but she departed from his side quickly, seeing ladies that she knew. Kaoru had entered behind her parents, and she stood in the doorway awkwardly, gazing out at people she knew and people who were strangers, not knowing quite what to do with herself. Luckily, or perhaps not so luckily, her mother came to find her with a young man in tail. Introducing him as "Hoji-san" and instructing her daughter to "dance and be merry", Kamiya-sama evaporated into the flow of people and the sea of colors, leaving the two hopeful lovebirds to their own devices.

"Um….." Hoji began, ever so articulately, "that is, would you like to dance?"

Kaoru sighed, and, seeing no mocking in his eyes, nodded and allowed herself to be pulled gently onto the dance floor. "So..." she said, after an uncomfortable silence, "what do you do in your free time?" _Might as well try to get to know him, if I'm going to be stuck with him for the rest of my life..._ Kaoru thought, rather gloomily, before Hoji replied.

"I work with a friend of mine, Shishio-sama, in building up a new and stronger government!" Hoji answered brightly, "he's the most powerful man in all of Japan, and he's chosen me to be his right-hand advisor when her has created the new government!"

Kaoru's head perked up, "a, uh, new government?" she asked, trying to look more interested than she felt, "what sort of changes does this, Shishio-sama, wish to make?"

"A system where only the strong people survive, and the weak people die off to make more room for the more suitable humans. I hope you will prove to be strong, my dear, it would be a shame to loose you—" Hoji would have gone on, but the song had ended and Kaoru saw her escape route.

"Yes, that's all very interesting, but I must be going, I see my cousin over there and there's something I must speak with him about..." Kaoru melted into the crowd of dancers and on-lookers before Hoji could come after her. She leaned against a wall and sipped delicately from a cup offered to her from a passing server, trying to calm her heart. She couldn't think of a worse way to rule the people than how Hoji had just described, why, it was downright heartless!

Kenshin rolled his eyes, watching Sano flirt shamelessly with all the girls. He turned to see Aoshi leaning placidly against a wall, listening to some hyper girl with an absurdly long black braid chatter away. Sighing, Kenshin wondered for the thousandth time why he was even here, and then he saw her.

"Tomoe," he breathed, moving towards the girl that glided across the floor. She was as lovely as a swan, and twice as vicious. So intent was he on moving towards this goddess that he didn't watch were he was going, and _BANG_ he toppled right into someone.

All Kenshin wanted to do was apologize quickly and hurry to Tomoe's side, but he found himself being pulled away from her, and towards the dance floor. Startled, Kenshin looked at the girl he had bumped into and was amazed. She was beautiful. Slender and lithe, her midnight hair was piled ostentatiously on the top of her head. Kenshin's violet orbs caught the girl's eyes; a vibrant blue that shone defiance to being made up like a porcelain doll. She noticed his gaze and smiled.

"Thank you for dancing with me," she whispered close to his ear, her warm breath making the hairs stand up on the nape of Kenshin's neck. The sensation of holding this radiant girl to him as they danced was sending strangely comforting shivers down his spine.

"I just had to get away from this man..." Kaoru continued, for it was Kaoru that our hero nearly trampled, "my parents was to set me up with him, but I can barely stand to dance with him more than once, let alone be his wife!"

"What's so horrible about him?" Kenshin asked, "is he old and fat?" he joked, and was rewarded when a smile lit Kaoru's face.

"No, no, he just... has these cruel ideas about how Japan's government should be run." At Kenshin's inquisitive look, she continued. "The weak, he says, should die and make room for the stronger aspects of out race, or something like that..."

Kenshin made a face, and the song ended. Reluctant to let this girl go so quickly, he asked, "What's your name?"

"Kamiya Kaoru," she replied, "a-and yours?" she asked shyly, looking up at him through her eyelashes.

"Kenshin," he told her, not giving his family name, knowing he was on thin ice in this house.

He was right. Her blue eyes widened and she stepped back, taking in his appearance again. Long red hair, big purple eyes, and a cross-shaped scar on his left cheek... why didn't she notice earlier? "Not... Himura Kenshin?" she asked, the look in her eyes, however, told him she knew the answer already. "Hajime has told me about you!" Turning swiftly, she ran, thinking that she'd rather deal with Hoji than take her chances with the son of her father's mortal enemy.

"Wait!" Kenshin cried desperately, before running after her.

Hajime Saitoh was leaning against a nearby pillar, calmly smoking a cigarette, when he heard that voice. Himura's voice. Turning angrily, he caught a glimpse of red hair disappearing from the room.

"Himura..." he hissed, and, drowning the butt of his cigarette in ashes, he looked around for the gang of rabble that went as the Himura boys. Sure enough, Shinomori was leaning against a wall looking cold, as usual, and that ahou, Sagara, was dancing and flirting the night away. Growling, Saitoh pushed his way across the crowded ballroom until he was face to face with his saké-tipsy uncle.

"Uncle," Saitoh ground out from between his teeth; he was so angry that Himura and his minions would dare to crash their party he could barely see straight. "Himura Kenshin and his gang have intruded on our party! Can you believe it?"

Apparently he could, for Kamiya merely laughed drunkenly and clapped his nephew on the shoulder. "Aww... leave th' boy an' his frien's alone, will ya?" he slurred, "I did the same when I was but a (_hic)_ lad... let 'em have their fun, an' then let 'em go!"

Saitoh's eyes narrowed, "let them go?" he repeated, his anger growing, "Uncle!"

But Kamiya was gone, dancing with two giggling nieces, and completely ignoring the malcontent Saitoh had against his decision.

Saitoh growled again, so much like the wolf he was called, and vowed in his mind that he would not let this simply slide... it was time he settled the score once and for all between Kenshin and him. It was time for a challenge.

"Wait! Wait!" Kenshin cried again, "can't I just... explain?"

Kaoru turned to face him, "what?" she asked sharply, then, pulling him out onto a balcony and away from prying eyes, she continued. "I'm sorry," she said in a softer tone, mentally cursing this boy and the feelings that made her be kind and listen to him. "It's just, Hajime has told me so much about you... most is probably false, anyway."

Kenshin grinned and shrugged, "probably." They both turned and gazed into the night, admiring the well-tended and heavily decorated garden and the soft light of the stars above their heads. Finally, Kenshin spoke.

"Can I kiss you?"

Kaoru nearly jumped out of her skin at the sudden sound of his voice, and the question it was asking her.

"W-what?" she stammered, feeling her face flush.

"Never mind," Kenshin muttered, embarrassed that he had actually asked her. They both fell silent again, but there was a tense air in the stillness, and it was far from comfortable.

"Yes." Kaoru's voice was almost inaudible, but Kenshin heard her nonetheless.

"Yes what?" he asked, pretending he didn't know what she was talking about, and he held his breath as she spoke.

Kaoru blushed harder, what was she thinking? "Yes, you may kiss me." She faced her companion and turned her sweet face into the moonlight.

Their eyes locked again. Kenshin leaned in slowly, giving Kaoru time to back off if she changed her mind; but she didn't. Swiftly he captured her lips in his, and she responded with feeling, bringing her hands up to bury them in his hair. Kenshin smiled against her soft mouth and twined his hands around her waist. He was ready to move their small kiss into something deeper and more fulfilling, when Kaoru was firmly yanked from his arms. Surprised, he looked up to see a beautiful woman pulling Kaoru away, and, by the looks of it, scolding her roundly. Kaoru smiled sadly at him, and swiftly he blew her a kiss, and her grin grew. He watched her go, and was startled out of his thoughts by Sano knocking into him.

"C'mon! Let's go!" he laughed, "the party's nearly over and that old wolf will notice our presence, if he hasn't already!" Laughing and talking, Sano and the others ran from the building, not noticing that Kenshin wasn't behind him. He couldn't help it; this girl, this Kaoru, had enraptured him, and he had to see her again. He just had to.

* * *

"You are a foolish, silly tanuki!" Megumi glowered as she helped Kaoru undress for the night.

"I know, I know... but I think I like him— ow!" Kaoru broke off, glaring at Megumi, who continued to pull the pins out of Kaoru's hair, pins identical to the one she had poked Kaoru with. "I like him." The girl said derisively. "I do."

" 'I do', huh?" Megumi repeated acidly, "those are words you'll be saying to Hoji-sama, tanuki. At your wedding."

Kaoru stood up and backed away from Megumi, "what are you talking about? I don't like Hoji-san!" she objected fiercely, "I think that he's cruel….. and, and really weird….."

Megumi clucked her tongue and pushed Kaoru into the bathroom to wash off the make-up, "it doesn't matter much what you think, I'm afraid." She said sadly, "it's up to your parents, my dear, not you." She laughed at Kaoru's scowl and hugged her gently, "to bed now, little tanuki, and sweet dreams of that red-haired fellow you were so attached to tonight….." ducking the pillow hurled at her head, Megumi backed out the door and shut off the light.

And Kaoru fell asleep, and she dreamed sweet dreams, and they were all of Kenshin.

So ends Act One.

* * *

Review responses!!

noner89: you are so NOT bugging me!! I love getting reviews saying they want me to update soon, they make me feel loved!! big hug

Snowman... -san...: How do I love thee? Let me count the ways... you rock so much!! And thank you for degrading yourself to comply with my silly little whims! big kiss uh... sorry... got a little excited there!

Crystal: LMAO!! Karrie has two DVDs, um….. "Fire Requiem" and "Shadow of the Wolf". I've seen both and I have "Shadow of the Wolf" on VHS. Karrie says she likes the out takes in Fire Requiem better, I think that's the one with the "bling-bling" And also, Kenshin says that Jack would be happy to draw you a picture of Hoshi, I'll try to find a scanner and e-mail it to you!! Aw... my little quiche!!

victoria: yes, actually, they ARE going to meet in this chapter!! I'm sure of it!! The romance in this story (like my life) will most likely not be very good….. um….. yeah. But I'm going to TRYTRYTRY my BESTBESTBEST and it might be good. It might even be wonderful….. but don't get your hopes up THAT high…..

ZSilver: actually, checks Shakespeare online Romeo and Juliet has five acts. However, act five only has, like three scenes in it. So yeah. I'm happy you checked your favorites before you left too!! I checked mine today and "So Far Gone" was updated!! And I checked it yesterday and "Sky Dweller" was updated!! Yes, life is good when your favorite fics have new chapters….. looks at Linay pointedly LOL!!

Kriska: That's ok, I'm pretty busy too, but I'll get WAY busier when school starts up again... but not as busy as I might have been, cuz I didn't make cheerleading. I'll use all that extra time to write and have no life!! And do my math homework. Great.


	6. Act 2, Scenes 1 and 2

Well, midterms are sneaking up and biting my head off, and the bad news is that my History and French exams are going to be harder than expected, I don't qualify to be an "exam helper" for Science (which means I have to take the exam and 7-9 people don't

Well minna-san, midterms are sneaking up and biting my head off, and the bad news is that my History and French exams are going to be harder than expected and I have to write at least 3-4 pages of Bible essays. Good news: if the majority of my Algebra class does badly on the exam, they might finally get rid of my teacher, the Antichrist. Which is always a plus.

Oh yeah, I wanted Kenshin to have a term of endearment for Kaoru, so he calls her "dango." It means, and correct me if I'm wrong, "dumpling." Yeah.

* * *

Act 2, Scene 1

Sano grumbled, looking around for his missing friend. How could Kenshin just run off? Geeze, he didn't think Tomoe was that pretty. in his opinion, Kenshin should just get over her and be done with it. There were a fair amount of beautiful girls at the party. Aoshi swore he saw Kenshin dancing with one, in fact, and she looked like a catch!

"Kenshin!" he called once more, then, "where the hell is he?" he muttered again, turning back to his friends and raked his hands through his unruly rooster-like hair.

Aoshi rolled his eyes, "he probably doesn't want to be found, why don't we just leave him alone? He'll find his way home like a lost dog eventually." Sano looked at Aoshi, and nodded.

"Whatever!" He said, "Bye Kenshin!" he called loudly, "have fun with whatever lovely lady you've picked up!" Laughing loudly, he stumbled off with Aoshi and the rest of their crew, completely missing the short red-haired boy in a tree busy scaling the Kamiya's garden wall.

* * *

Act 2, Scene 2

Kaoru woke suddenly, feeling strangely cold. Looking around, she saw that she had kicked the blankets off her bed in her slumber. Shrugging, Kaoru got out of bed and pulled a dressing robe over her sleeping yukata. She slowly opened the door to her balcony to avoid waking Megumi, and stepped out into the crisp night air, peppered with tiny glowing fireflies.

"I like him," she murmered tentatively, as though she was afraid someone might hear her and berate her for feeling that way for a Himura. "I really like him." Her soft voice was defiant, and the hidden subject of her words was captivated, and he longed to hop onto the balcony and gaze into her sweet face once more.

Kaoru sighed and leaned against the stone railing, watching the glimmering bugs dance around her. "I want to see him again... I think. But he probably won't want to see me. Kami, I'm so stupid! Who would want to see a girl who ran up to him in the middle of a party and forced him to dance with her? No one, that's who!" Kaoru frowned, "Megumi's right. I'm too forward, too quick. I scare men off, that's what I do!" Kaoru turned around and gazed into the night, admiring the stars. "He was so handsome though. I've never seen purple eyes before, and his hair!" she sighed again and closed her eyes. "I wish..." she began, then stopped.

Kenshin couldn't resist; he climbed swiftly and silently onto the balcony and asked, quietly, "what do you wish?"

The effect was instantaneous. Kaoru's eyes widened and she spun, opening her mouth to scream, before she saw and recognized the boy standing before her, haloed by the dancing glitter-bugs. She smiled slowly, then her eyes narrowed and she hissed, "don't frighten me like that!"

Kenshin couldn't help it, he started laughing. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" he gasped between chuckles, "I just wanted to see you again!"

Kaoru's face softened and she started laughing too. When they had calmed down she asked, "why are you here? If my parents find you they'll kill you!"

Kenshin's eyes danced at the aspect of danger as he grinned nonchalantly, "It was worth it just to see you!" he proclaimed, his grin widening when he saw Kaoru blush. Unbeknownst to the love-struck pair, however, they were being watched.

Megumi smirked as she watched the two silently from her window. She liked this boy, though she'd never admit it. He seemed sweet, and not at all like what Hajime-san warned his young cousin he was like. She saw him move closer and begin to speak to her tanuki softly, as the night breeze caught Kaoru's soft replies. The grinning fox-lady turned away from the window, deciding to give the two some time alone, and resolved to ask Kaoru about her night-time visitor come morning.

Kaoru smiled, she loved having Kenshin near her, just talking. She loved it even more when he touched her hand softly, and she loved the tingling feeling she felt having his perfect eyes on her face. She sighed contentedly. _I wonder if he loves me, _she thought idly.

Kenshin stopped talking and looked at her oddly. "What?"

Kaoru froze. _Did I say that out loud?_ _Oh Kami-sama, I did!_ "I—I'm sorry—I didn't mean, that is what I meant was—" she stopped speaking as Kenshin's hand blocked the words from escaping her lips.

"Sweet dango….." Kenshin began, and Kaoru giggled at the name. "I swear by those twinkling stars that pale in comparison with your shining eyes, and the full and rapturous moon above—"

"Don't swear by such things!" Kaoru broke him off softly. "They are... flowery and insubstantial. The moon wanes and even disappears over the course of a month. If you swear by such and inconstant thing, no matter how beautiful, I can only assume that your love will be as unstable, as... as contrary."

"What should I swear by my love by, then?" asked Kenshin, confused by her reaction to his pretty words.

Kaoru closed her eyes, then said, "Swear by the fireflies."

Kenshin blinked, "What?" he asked, "Fireflies? Why?"

Kaoru turned her face into the soft light of the subjects in question. "Yes. The fireflies. They are always here at night, and sometimes I stay up to watch them. Swear your feelings by these glitter-bugs and they will always remind me of you."

Kenshin's smile was wide and sincere as he took her hands and spoke. "Sweet dango," he began again and Kaoru giggled softly again at his silliness and her own sudden nerves. "Ever since I saw you," he continued, "ever since you dragged me off for a dance, I was... amazed, and, captured by your beauty. I... I cannot fairly say that I am in love with you, but I can say that I want to spend all of my time by your side, and that you are the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on. This I swear by these happy dancing fireflies, who will ever after remind me of this night."

Kaoru's eyes shone with unshed tears at his confession. "No one has ever told me something like that before." She explained as Kenshin wiped away a silently falling tear.

"I'm glad I'm the first," he whispered, leaning in to softly kiss her sweet lips.

The sudden sound of gardeners getting ready for the day startled the two lovebirds apart. Kaoru squinted into the sky and was amazed to see that the sun that the sun had risen and night was over. Kenshin followed the direction of her gaze and sighed.

"I guess I'd better go..." he said, his soft voice was sad.

"I suppose." Kaoru replied, disappointed as well. "Wait!" she cried quickly as he made his way over the balcony railing and moved through the garden. "When can I see you again?"

"Come to the shore today at nine in the morning, I'll be there." Kenshin gave her a small reassuring smile and kissed her gently. "I miss you already..." he murmered, and then he was gone. Kaoru took a deep breath in an attempt to calm her racing heart and pressed her fingers unconsciously against her lips. She ran to the railing to look down at Kenshin once more before he left, and caught her breath. Blinking swiftly, she looked again, and he was there, scaling the garden wall and blowing her a kiss before he disappeared over the top.

_How strange..._ she thought,_ When I looked, it seemed as though I was peering into a grave, and Kenshin was dead..._ Kaoru shook her head to rid herself of such a horrid image. _It was my imagination,_ she reassured herself.

"Tanuki! Wake up!" Megumi called, and Kaoru ran into her chamber to tell Megumi all about her wonderful night, and the exciting rendezvous this morning.

"Coming," she called, and was gone. All frightening thoughts of tombs and death flew from her head as Kaoru lost herself in the joy of being young and in love. A song lyric ran through her head, and she giggled at the truth is posed, drunk on happiness and high on life.

* * *

I loved writing that... just wanted to tell you all that! Next chapter... Hiko! I really don't like him; so sorry in advance to all you Hiko fan-girls out there, just in case I make him run into a brick wall or whatever... anyway, stay tuned for him!

Keep reading!!

Rhapsody


	7. Act 2, Scenes 3 and 4

All right, first off, I'd like to say congratulations and thank you to Crystal Renee for giving me Tatsumi's name for that quote from Samurai X! (I asked for it last chapter… Geeze that was a while ago, ne?) So she's getting a big cookie shoved through the screen, and a cameo! So look out for her... she's coming up in this scene!

Anyway, arigatou to:

Laurika: I love WAFF too! It makes me so happy!

ZSilver: Awesomeness! You are braver than I to read the book… my mom read it in French though, she says that's why she doesn't remember much! Lol! Enjoy!

Victoria: I think EVERYONE loves the balcony scene! It's classic! I had such a great time writing it, I'm so glad you liked it!

Crystal: thanx so much for the name! You rock! And no… no one has said "super chew moo" yet… You're too original!

Koishii Sweet: Cute name! Thnx for reading! I love the R+J movies, we watched the 90's one in school and last year we watched parts of that, and the 60's one, and then we had time at the end so we watched West Side Story. I've always preferred the Leo one, I don't know why. I'm not overly fond of Claire Danes or Leo Dicaprio… but whatev.

* * *

Act 2, Scene 3

Hiko sighed resignedly, looking up from his meditation to see his baka deshi running towards him, stumbling over the steps leading up to his small dojo and falling face-first into the training room. He smiled apologetically as he picked himself up, but Hiko merely glared at him as dismissed the boys who had been meditating peacefully.

Kenshin's smile grew as he danced around his master's dojo, nothing Hiko-sensei said now could bring him down; he was in ecstasy!

"Good morning Hiko-sensei!" he practically sang. Hiko grimaced, feeling the effects of his saké-drinking the night before… dammit, there was a reason he was only meditating with his students today!

"What do you want?" Hiko growled in response, "you seem way to happy then you have been normally… did Tomoe finally decide to stop stringing you along or something?"

Kenshin blinked, confused, "no sensei, I found someone new!" ignoring Hiko's barely audible, "Kami help us…" Kenshin told his uncomfortable master all about Kaoru; the color of her hair, her sparkling eyes, the way she laughed, how right it felt to hold her hand…

"Enough!" Hiko roared at last, unable to take anymore, "What is this girl, a goddess? At least she's more in your league than Tomoe… feh. Anyway, she's Kamiya's niece, your parents would never have approved. What did you say your new girl's name was?"

Kenshin blushed, "Kaoru... Kamiya Kaoru." Hiko choked on his new cup of saké and turned to glare at his baka deshi again.

"Are you a sucker for heartbreak or something?" Hiko demanded, eyeing his short apprentice, "what is it with you and those Kamiya girls? Forget what I said about your parents not approving of Tomoe… they'll never go for you and this Kaoru-girl!" Hiko took one look at Kenshin's dejected purple eyes and regretted his words. "There, there..." Hiko awkwardly patted Kenshin's shoulder, embarrassed out of his mind at what he was doing.

"Don't you have something to do today?" Hiko finally asked, "anything at all?" Instantly Kenshin brightened up, his unhappy mood banished at the remembrance that he was seeing Kaoru again today.

"Yes, actually!" he beamed, "I'm seeing Kaoru again! I can't be late, I have to go! Bye Hiko-sensei! Thank you!" that said, Kenshin raced off to change before seeing his sweet lady again. In fact, he was so oblivious to everything but the memory of her luminescent eyes that he missed the steps completely and crumpled onto the dirt yard.

Hiko groaned, "watch your step baka deshi!" he snapped, "you'll never get to your Kaoru-girl in one piece if you're forever running around!" Grumbling about baka deshis, Hiko retreated to the dark interior of his dojo to get some more saké.

Kenshin grinned, but nonetheless ran back to the manor to change.

* * *

Act 2, Scene 4

Kaoru walked awkwardly beside Megumi, waiting for the shore to come into view. She had bamboozled her nurse into accompanying her, simply because she was nervous that she would screw up and make a fool of herself. If there was one person who could shut Kaoru up before she said too much, it was Megumi. They crossed the street silently and came upon the vast ocean that bordered the island they lived on. Kaoru scanned the beach to see if Kenshin was there, as far as she could tell, she was early. Suddenly she caught her breath as she spied a short person with very distinguishing red hair making his way towards them.

"That's him!" Kaoru hissed, digging her elbow into Megumi's side and nudging her head in Kenshin's direction.

"I know what he looks like, tanuki," Megumi snapped, looking over as the young man in question approached them. "Hello," Megumi greeted him, her voice devoid of anything betraying her true feelings.

Kenshin bowed, first to Kaoru, then Megumi, "hello!" he replied brightly, smiling at Kaoru, who blushed and smiled in return.

Megumi groaned, "first things first. What's your name? Kenshin? Well listen to me Ken-san," Megumi began, ignoring Kenshin's surprised blinks at his new nickname, "I'd like to get something straight. Break this silly tanuki's heart, and I'll brake you face, got it?"

Kaoru's eyes widened, "Megumi!" she moaned, embarrassed out of her mind. But her nurse merely pinched Kaoru's cheek and walked off, warning the young couple that she'd be watching them.

Kenshin looked over at his dango, gently taking her hand. "I think it's sweet that she's so protective of you," he told her, then he straightened and said, "now, if you don't mind, I'd like to introduce you to my friends." His words made Kaoru hesitate, these were the Himura's after all, but the look of reassurance on Kenshin's face reminded her that he wouldn't let anything happen to her, and plus Megumi was going to be right there. She nodded and replied,

"I... I'd like that." Kenshin smiled and pulled her towards the edge of the beach.

"They're good people." Kenshin reassured her, stopping in front of a worn building. Kaoru gulped, nervous in spite of herself. She was standing with the son of her father's mortal enemy, by all rights he was her enemy too, and she was going to meet and mingle with more of them? Half her mind, the sensible, well-bred half, insisted she leave at once. This was no place for a decent Kamiya girl to be, and her company left quite a lot to be desired. But that other side of her mind: the romantic, swoony, thirteen-going-on-fourteen side of her wanted nothing more than to be with this boy, this dangerously forbidden boy, and be happy for once in her life.

Needless to say, she listened to the swoony side. Kenshin, seeing her features change from hesitant nervousness to a calm expectancy, opened the door.

He was faced with raucous greetings that grew louder and sketchier once Kaoru came into view. Kenshin glared at the motley crew and spoke above the noise.

"I'm sorry Kaoru, I meant to show you my gentlemen friends, but I seem to be in the wrong place, that I do. These people are just ruffians, and I don't want you to be around them, that I most certainly do not!" he winked at Kaoru and, placing a hand on the small of her back, turned to lead her out the door. All of a sudden a saké cup exploded from the room, bonging Kenshin in the head.

"Oro?" he squeaked, rubbing the back of his head, "Sano, what was that for?"

Kaoru watched incredulously as a tall boy with messy hair laughed and scolded Kenshin for calling him a ruffian. Kenshin smiled in return and pushed Kaoru forward.

"This is Kaoru," he said, "Kamiya Kaoru." With this announcement, all activity in the room stopped.

"Kamiya?" Aoshi asked, his ice blue eyes questioning.

"Yes," Kenshin's smile grew wider, "Kamiya."

Kaoru blushed as the eyes of every man in the room fell upon her, scrutinizing her as though to see the traits of her family in her and the potential to hate every man in the room. Kenshin, sensing her unease, dismissed all the men from the room, save the three he seemed to trust most.

"Dango," he said, taking her hand, "this is my cousin, Aoshi," a boy with sharp blue eyes nodded politely to her, " and my best friend, Sanosuke." The boy with unruly hair who had hit Kenshin with the saké cup raised his hand in a salute and greeted her with a "yo!" and a wide grin. "And Soujiro, my servant." The last boy, older than Kenshin by a year or two, stood and bowed.

"I'm very pleased to meet you Kamiya-san," her told her in a cheerful voice, a small smile adorning his seemingly happy face.

"So, Jou-chan," Sanosuke began, "where'd you meet our Kenshin? Three guesses say that party last night…" the over-the-top boy winked at Aoshi as her lounged into a large chair.

"yes…" Kaoru replied softly, "I… he… we danced together" she said simply, "I was trying to avoid some weirdo my parents want to set me up with and I ran into him."

"Her parents want her to marry Hoji." Kenshin explained. Apparently it was all the explanation needed, for both Aoshi and Sano exchanged glances before they turned their attention to Kaoru again.

"He's trouble." Aoshi told her seriously, his icy eyes holding hers, "don't marry him if you have the choice… he'd dispose of you in a second if you got in the way of his precious Shishio-sama."

Kaoru shivered involuntarily, "thanks for the warning," she told him sarcastically, "but my choice in marriage, any marriage, is non-existent."

The small group settled, talking and laughing together like they were old friends. Kaoru felt at peace with these people, and she saw that Kenshin's family and friends really weren't all that different from hers. This realization made her happy and sad all at once, seeing as her father would never make peace with the Himura's.

After a while someone knocked at the door and Soujiro stood to admit Megumi. Kaoru laughed as Sano took one look at her beautiful nurse and began flirting shamelessly. Megumi paid him no mind and instead insisted that Kaoru be home to dine with her parents. Kenshin pulled her out of the room to kiss her goodbye, and before Megumi came out to drag Kaoru away again, Kaoru summed up the nerve to speak.

"I had a wonderful time Kenshin, when can I see you again?"

"Tomorrow." Kenshin told her, "do you know where the Hiten-Misurugi dojo is?" Kaoru answered in the affirmative, "meet me there. I'll be missing you every minute between now and then." Kaoru blushed, and Megumi came out to drag her back home.

As they were leaving, however, the irrepressible Sano shouted, "so long Jou-chan! Come back and see us sometime... and bring that fox with you!"

Kaoru and Megumi walked home in silence, inexplicably happy with their lives.

* * *

From the cover of the gathering darkness ((duhn duhn DUHN!!)) two girls stealthily crept over to the building Kaoru and Megumi had just left. The first girl reached out to pull open the door to the room that her Aoshi-sama occupied, when a third person yanked on her braid.

"And what do you two think you're doing?" Laura asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

Immediately, Misao and Crystal shot up from their crouched positions.

"It was her idea!" Misao instantly said, pointing an accusing finger at Crystal.

"Thanks so much…" Crystal replied, rolling her eyes at her new friend.

"Honestly you two!" Laura shook her head, "Misao, I told you, this isn't an Aoshi/Misao fic... he doesn't even have a pairing here!" ignoring the ninja-girl's sulk, Laura turned on Crystal, "and you can't have Battousai! He isn't even Battousai in this fic! And he has Kaoru… so tough cookies!"

Laura turned and walked off, telling the two love-struck girls spitefully, "If Vash gets Wolfwood, you can't have your bishies either!" not looking to see where her friends were, she vanished into the evening.

"Think she's gone?" Misao whispered to Crystal, eyeing the door.

"Yeah!" Crystal replied gleefully, grabbing Misao's hand and burst into the coveted room, crying, "Here I come Fuzzy-sama…"

The room was empty.

"Oh, expletive deleted he's GONE!!" Misao wailed, "I'll never give up on looking for you, beloved Aoshi-sama!! NEVER!!"


	8. Act 2, Scenes 5 and 6

Since scene 5 is all about Juliet trying to wheedle information out of the nurse concerning her little rendezvous avec Romeo and since Kaoru was there, I am, in effect, reversing the scene.

* * *

Act 2, scene 5

Megumi shut the door to Kaoru's rooms, practically pouncing on the younger girl.

"So? What did Ken-san say? What did you two talk about? Who was that crass boy with the gravity-defying hair?"

Kaoru laughed, "Ken-san didn't say anything. Kenshin was very happy to see me, however…" she ducked Megumi's playful slap. "And that boy was Sanosuke, Kenshin's best friend. And he isn't crass... just... um..."

"Crass." Megumi was never one to mince words. Kaoru laughed again, nothing could bring her down from her good feeling. It was as if simply being around Kenshin gave her some sort of natural high. Megumi raised one eyebrow,

"You're in a happy mood." Megumi observed, "Obviously seeing Ken-san agreed with you..."

Kaoru nodded, "and I'm going to be seeing him again tomorrow!" she began excitedly, "isn't that—"

"Whoa, whoa," Megumi interrupted the girl, "you're seeing him again? You just saw him today! What's the rush?"

Kaoru's smile dropped as she turned to face her nurse, "what's wrong? I... I thought you approved of us... of our relationship..."

"Relationship? All of a sudden you're having a relationship with this boy? Kaoru, you're only fourteen! Don't forget Hoji-sama."

Kaoru sighed loudly, "Don't worry Megumi, I haven't forgotten that pig. Trust me, he's not easy to dismiss from my mind!" She smiled again, "and I'm seeing Kenshin tomorrow. I don't care what you say. I want to see Kenshin and I love _him_, not Hoji-san. So there." Her tirade finished, Kaoru stuck her tongue out, acting the part of an immature fourteen-year-old girl. Megumi couldn't help but smile at the absurd actions of her young charge.

* * *

Act 2, Scene 6

The next day came as usual, though for two lovers waiting to be reunited, night seemed to inch its way along. Things were not mollified for Kenshin; he was called to his parent's presence as he was making ready to go to Hiko-sensei and see his beloved dango again.

" 'Kaasan, 'tousan, you wished to see me?" Kenshin asked, bowing to his parents and eyeing the door, already itching to be out.

"Kenshin, dearest," Himura-sama began, "you seem so much happier now. What has changed?"

Kenshin straightened, "um..." he began, oh so articulately, knowing he couldn't tell his parents about Kaoru, yet he wanted at the same time to share his feelings for her with his parents, share his happiness with them! "Well... I met this girl." He told them slowly, mapping out what he would say next, "She's really sweet, and she likes me too."

His parents exchanged a glance. "So you are happy now?" His father inquired anxiously, "we were so worried when you took to shutting yourself in your room."

"I'm fine." Kenshin assured them, "Aoshi talked me out of my little... um, funk, and I'm feeling better than ever."

"That's good," Himura said, smiling, "but before you go, what is this mystery girl's name? She comes from a good family, I assume, or—"

"Kenshin!" Sanosuke barreled through the door, practically smashing a vase to the floor. Himura-sama cringed and glided out of the room. "Kenshin! You have to come down to the shore! Those Kamiya boys are messing around, we gotta show them who owns this place!" Without waiting for Kenshin's answer, or even Himura's permission, Sano grabbed his best friend's hand and yanked him from the room, running full speed to the shore.

* * *

Yeah, they're not getting married in my fic… I just don't feel like making someone be the priest or monk or whatever. I'll have the next chapter up soon-ish, things are spiraling fast and characters will start to die soon, so that's something to look forward to… or something like that.

Ja,

Rhapsody


	9. Act 3, Scene 1

EDITED 10/12/08. I totally omitted the part of the scene where Ohkubo-sama banishes Kenshin. What's up with that? But it's here now!

Act 3, scene 1

* * *

"Come on, Sanosuke, they _want _to make trouble with us. Did you forget what Ohkubo-sama said?" The stoic young man's voice was exasperated as he leaned against the store wall. "If we meet then we will fight. Is that really what you want?"

"That's exactly what I want, Aoshi!" Sanosuke's voice sharpened with sudden anger. "You act tough and say you'll defend your family's honor, but at the first sign of trouble you run! Prove you're loyal! Stand with me!" Walking up to his friend, the spike-haired boy prodded him in the chest.

Aoshi backed up, "do you really believe I refuse to defend the honor of my own family?" His voice was colored with sudden iciness, daring Sanosuke to back up his claims.

Sano sighed and slung an arm around Aoshi's shoulders. "You know you're a force to be reckoned with… once you're provoked," he told his friend, "In fact…" his eyes lit with sudden mischief, "you're way more touchy than I am! You'd quarrel with a man just because he carried his sword in the same way you do…" Sanosuke trailed off, laughing helplessly.

"Shut it," Aoshi hissed, "Here come the Kamiyas."

Sanosuke shrugged, turning his back on the approaching gang. "Who cares?"

Glowering at his friend, Aoshi strolled down the street—falsely nonchalant—to meet Saitoh. Sanosuke sighed and followed him, keeping his sword hand on the hilt of his katana.

"Good day… _gentlemen_," Saitoh called when he came into earshot. "Might I have a word with one of your folk?"

"You can have a word," Sanosuke called back impudently, "but why don't you pair it with a blow for your trouble?"

Saitoh's eyes narrowed, "I would be glad to, if I find myself provoked."

"Your presence is provocation enough for _me_…" Sano sneered.

"Enough of this foolishness! You are aquatinted with Himura Kenshin, are you not?"

"Yes, we are…" Aoshi answered cautiously, "but we would do well not to continue this conversation amongst so many prying eyes…"

"Let them look!" Sanosuke insisted, "If they wanna to be nosy, they can get what they deserve."

"No matter," Saitoh replied turning away from the younger boy with a scarcely disguised mutter of _baka_. "Here is our friend."

Aoshi and Sano looked in the direction of Saitoh's glance and saw Kenshin returning from his conference with Hiko. "He is _not _your friend," Sano hissed at the older man. "You don't deserve to call him your friend."

Saitoh sneered, "no matter, Rooster Head." Striding toward Kenshin purposefully, Saitoh raised his voice. "Himura Kenshin! You are a pathetic waste of air. You don't deserve to share space on this earth with me—you are a villain, plain and simple."

Sanosuke sprang into action, but Kenshin held up a hand to stop him. "Stay, it's all right." Kenshin crossed his arms defiantly and turned to face Kaoru's cousin. "No," he said simply, "I'm not. I know that you have no reason to think well of me, but don't do this Saitoh-san, please. There… there are reasons, good reasons, why I will not fight you. Please, let's just walk away from this."

Saitoh's face contorted with rage. "Walk away? This is a greater insult than I had imagined, you vile, spineless moron." He drew his katana, pointing it at Kenshin. "Draw your sword. I refuse to accept your offer of peace. Draw your sword so that we can fight like men."

Kenshin's face remained passive. He longed to cut this arrogant man down to size, but he could imagine the hurt look on Kaoru's face if he beat her cousin senseless, so he refused to rise to the bait. "Saitoh-san, please, let's be rational."

Sanosuke ran toward his best friend, grabbing his arm incredulously. "Kenshin, what the hell is wrong with you?" He turned to Saitoh and raised his fists. "I don't have a sword, but if it's a fight you want then it's a fight you'll get. Come on, Saitoh-_san­_," Sano taunted, spitting out the suffix like bile, "Kenshin doesn't want to fight, but I sure do."

Saitoh's eyes narrowed. "It's all the same to me. I will beat Himura in the end—it makes no difference if you decide to go first."

Kenshin ran between the two men, looking at his best friend pleadingly. "Sano, please. Don't fight him—this has nothing to do with you."

"He insulted you, Ken," Sanosuke replied simply, "This has _everything_ to do with me."

The first punch caught Saitoh by surprise, but he retaliated quickly with a jab from his sword. The gathering crowed jeered at the older man for using a weapon against an un-armed man, and Saitoh—casting a glance at the audience—sighed and threw his sword to the ground. Sano's second punch was blocked easily, as was his third and fourth. It seemed that Saitoh was as adept with his fists as he was with a sword. Sano fought like a cat backed against a wall, but Saitoh was faster, stronger, always moving one step ahead of the spiky-haired boy. Aoshi and Kenshin exchanged glances—they knew that Sanosuke was out-matched, even as their friend laughed cockily, thinking he was winning. By the time Sano realized that he was in over his head it was too late to save himself. Saitoh's fist crashed into Sano's jaw and the younger boy staggered backwards, hitting the back of his neck sharply on a fence post. There was a sickening _crack_ and Sanosuke lay still.

No one moved for several seconds. Even Saitoh looked shocked at the turn of events. One of his men pulled at his arm insistently, dragging him away. Kenshin walked toward the limp body of his best friend, moving automatically. He wanted to scream, he wanted to cry but most of all he wanted to end Saitoh's life. Kaoru's feelings no longer mattered—the only thing Kenshin could see was his best friend's broken body and he'd be damned if he let Saitoh get away with that. Aoshi pulled on his arm, beckoning him to go, to follow him home, to report this murder to Ohkubo-sama, but Kenshin pulled himself free.

"Kenshin, we have to go."

"No." The word was nearly inaudible, but Aoshi still heard him. "I'm not leaving his murder unavenged."

Aoshi forcefully turned Kenshin to face him. "Don't you realize how incredibly stupid that is? If you kill Saitoh than your life will be over—over, Kenshin." Aoshi looked over Kenshin's shoulder to see Saitoh returning to the scene. "Saitoh is coming back. We have to go _now_."

Kenshin turned to face Sanosuke's murderer, his cold eyes glinting with hurt. "Are you happy now? Sanosuke's spirit can't have gone far—why don't you stick around? Maybe he'll accompany you into the afterlife."

Saitoh sneered, drawing his sword. "We shall see."

The fight was quick and dirty—it became apparent that Kenshin's all-encompassing rage was giving him the advantage over Saitoh. With a fatal thrust, Kenshin ended the fight—avenged Sanosuke's untimely death—and stabbed Kaoru's cousin through his stomach.

Aoshi pulled him away and pushed him into a run. "Go, you foolish boy. Run, I'll explain this to Ohkubo-sama." His voice was hopeless, but he tried anyway. "Maybe you'll get lucky and they won't execute you for this."

Kenshin stumbled away, hiding behind a nearby building as the police swarmed to the scene. Aoshi had told him to run, so he would. He wanted to go to Kaoru first—to tell her his side of the story before she heard of Saitoh's death. He had to get cleaned up first, and that meant going to Hiko-sensei. He could hear Aoshi pleading with Ohkubo-sama, explaining the situation. Kenshin shook his head, wiping his bloody hands on his robe and broke into a run.

* * *

Ohkubo pushed past the growing crowd of Himuras and Kamiyas and examined the carnage with troubled eyes. Two men were dead—men who were barely out of boyhood—and one on the run. He knelt by Sanosuke's broken body, tilting his motionless head from side to side, surveying the damage. "Who is responsible for this?" His heart was heavy. He didn't want to hear the answer. He wanted to banish both families and their pointless, never-ending feud.

"Saitoh-san, sir," Aoshi spoke softly, his eyes trained on the ground. "Saitoh threatened Kenshin, but Sanosuke got in the way. They fought and Sano was killed. Then Kenshin killed Saitoh."

There was a stifled sob from Himura-sama. "Please, Ohkubo-sama," she cried, "Please don't execute my son. He was taking vengeance—the same vengeance you would have taken against Saitoh."

Ohkubo turned on the crowd with a snarl. "Yes, but vengeance wasn't his to take. This is how this mess started; with citizens taking the law into their own hands! Enough is enough. I will not kill Kenshin, but he is banished from Tokyo. If he ever sets foot in this city again, I will order his execution."

Himura-sama's wail of grief was echoed by Kamiya-sama's cry of anger. "Unfair," she shouted, "Saitoh is dead—Kenshin should die as well!"

Ohkubo's voice rose above the din. "This feud will end, or so help me I will scatter both families to the wind. You have upset the peace for too long—and for too long have I allowed it. If you find the terms of my judgment unfair then you may leave Tokyo along with Himura Kenshin. This is my decision."

The crowd began to disperse as the rain began to fall.


	10. Act 3, Scene 2

Please ignore the, um, 11 month absence from this story.

Also, I realized that I completely forgot part of Act 3 scene 1... so I went back and wrote it. Feel free to back track a little... remember what the hell this story is about, you know how it is.

* * *

Act 3, Scene 2

Kaoru looked up from the window as her nurse entered slowly. "Megumi!" she cried happily, bounding over to the other woman, "where have you been? Have you seen Kenshin? He's going to be coming soon..."

"He's dead." Megumi's deadpan voice caught Kaoru's attention immediately.

"What?" she asked, then, as the tears began to rise, "No… no, he can't be dead! Please tell me he's not—" but Megumi was nodding sadly.

"I'm so sorry, Kaoru. I don't want to believe it either. How could he? After he said he loved you."

"How…" Kaoru swallowed, "how did he die? He didn't… did he kill himself?"

Megumi slumped into a chair, folding in onto herself. "Never. He was murdered. Oh, Saitoh-sama…"

Kaoru felt as though her heart had stopped. "Saitoh is dead too?" The world narrowed to a point and Kaoru felt like she was falling, tumbling, with no safety net to catch her. "Kenshin… and Saitoh? They're both dead?" Her chest heaved as she fought to catch her breath. Megumi walked swiftly up to Kaoru and slapped her, hard, to stop her hysterics.

"No!" she hissed angrily, "your stupid love is alive and kicking! He was the one who killed your cousin."

Kaoru froze. This was too much to comprehend. She loved Kenshin too much to ignore the fact that he was human, and he might someday die, but… Saitoh? She loved her older cousin so much, so blindly, that she couldn't imagine a time that he would never be there, making her laugh, protecting her, playing with her. He was her cousin and her friend. Never, in all her years of life, had she ever fathomed that he would one day… die.

Worse still, the man she loved had killed him. Saitoh was her _family_. Kenshin may as well have shed Kaoru's blood. This was something she could never have imagined. Kaoru sank onto a chair, trying to work it all out in her head. Megumi knelt next to her, stroking her hair softly. She knew how close Kaoru had been to her cousin.

"That liar—that… cheat! I thought he was different. I thought he was kind and loving. I thought he wanted peace! No more fighting, no more war. He crept up like a wolf and I let him inside! And now Saitoh is gone." Kaoru burst into tears—the heart wrenching, bitter tears of a girl who lost her first and dearest friend.

Megumi folded her young charge into her arms, rocking her slowly. "I know, tanuki, I know. Men cannot be trusted. I'm sorry you had to learn that the hard way."

Kaoru pulled away abruptly. "Don't talk like that! I should never have said that about Kenshin."

"Kaoru, that man killed your cousin." Megumi's voice was sharp.

"I still love him," the younger girl whispered. Megumi narrowed her eyes, but she nodded and stood to leave. Kaoru's voice, soft and small, stopped her.

"Megumi… do you know why he killed Saitoh?"

The elegant, fox-like lady smiled apologetically. "That boy... the one with the messy hair. Sanosuke." Megumi explained, "Saitoh killed him, and only then did Ken-san go after your cousin." Megumi stood up, briskly wiping her eyes. "Why don't I go find your lover boy? He's probably with his teacher." Megumi vanished, ostensibly cheerful, but her mischievous wink was a shadow of it's usual self.

* * *

Hiko was angry. Perhaps 'angry' was too mild of a word. Livid—Hiko was livid. "Never in all my years as a teacher have I had a pupil who was as whole-heartedly stupid as you are!" He exploded, stomping across the dojo floor. "What possessed you?"

"He killed Sanosuke," Kenshin gritted his teeth.

"I don't suppose you thought about how your Kaoru-girl will react? Ten to one she'll leave your ass by the side of the road." Kenshin clenched his jaw and refused to speak. His sensei just sighed, "I have news of Ohkubo-sama's ruling, if you're interested."

Kenshin glued his eyes to the floor. "I'm to be executed, aren't I?

Hiko sighed again, "No, you're not. You probably should be, but you're not. You _are_ banished from Tokyo, however."

Kenshin lifted his eyes, "banished? Why didn't Ohkubo-sama just kill me? Banished from my home, from my family, from Kaoru? I'd rather die." Sinking into a chair, Kenshin folded into himself. His sensei, however, was bored of the pity party.

"At least if you're alive you can still see your Kaoru-girl," he roared, startling Kenshin. "What's wrong with you? Do madmen have no ears? I said banished, you idiot, not killed. There is still hope--there is always hope."

BAM BAM BAM. Kenshin jumped as someone started pounding on the door. Hiko pushed his student into a corner, "stay still," he hissed as he opened the door.

Megumi tumbled inside, trying to catch her breath. "Where is Ken-san? I have a message from Kaoru."

Hiko shrugged, "in the corner, feeling sorry for himself. If he cries any more he'll send himself out to sea."

The older woman smirked, "my tanuki is the same. Wallowing, she is. How about we let those two wallow together? It may do them some good."

"She hates me, doesn't she?" Kenshin's voice was soft and sad. "I killed her cousin. Why should she still love me?"

"That," Megumi said, turning toward the boy, "is an excellent question. One that I don't know the answer to, but she loves you all the same. It seems to me," she continued, "that what Kaoru needs is comfort. She won't listen to me, but maybe she'd listen to you."

Kenshin shook his head. "I should die for what I did to Kaoru."

"We've been over this, idiot!" Hiko exploded, "life is preferable to death--always. In life you can atone for the wrongs you've committed. What is death? An end--just an end. Go to your Kaoru-girl and remind her the she loves you in _spite_ of your glaring stupidity."

Kenshin's eyes lit up and he turned to Megumi. "Is she willing to listen to me? To my apology?"

Megumi sighed, exasperated, "of course she is," she started to push Kenshin out the door. "Go," she said, "make Kaoru happy again."

* * *

"K-Kaoru-dono?" Kaoru jumped at the unfamiliar words formed by the familiar sound of Kenshin's voice. She looked to the balcony and saw her love clambering over the wall.

"Kaoru-dono," he repeated, walking slowly towards her, his hands raised in a gesture of peace and sorrow. "Sessha is so... ashamed..."

Kaoru stared at him, confused, 'sessha'? 'Kaoru-dono'? Why was he talking so strangely?

"Kenshin... what?" Kaoru closed her eyes. Seeing Kenshin like this, practically prostrating himself, was making her eyes fill with tears again. "Don't do this, please."

Kenshin reached for her, hesitated, and pulled away. "Sessha is too unworthy to love you, that he most certainly is. Sessha just wanted to say... to apologize for the hurt he has caused you." Kenshin paused, "and to offer... if you would like me to leave..."

"No!" Kaoru sobbed brokenly, wrapping her arms around him tightly, "don't leave, please, Saitoh… Saitoh's gone… you can't… you can't leave me too… please…" she stopped talking, her breath coming in hyperventilated heaves, unable to form words. Kenshin turned and pulled her into his arms, rubbing her back comfortingly until she was calm.

* * *


End file.
